Tokyo bitterling
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
The Tokyo bitterling is thought to have once lived in Inokashira Pond.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Tokyo bitterling
- Scientific name
- Tanakia tanago
- Japanese name
- ミヤコタナゴ
- Group
- Freshwater animals
- Order
- Cypriniformes
- Family
- Cyprinidae
- Genus
- Tanakia
A bitterling that lives in Japan's Kanto region and nowhere else. It lives in slow-moving water such as ponds and channels.
Because it was discovered in Tokyo, it was named “Miyako-tanago,” meaning “the bitterling of the capital (miyako).”
In the breeding season, males turn bright orange and blue to show off to females.
Basic data
- Size
- Total length: 3–7 cm
- Diet
- Small animals and algae on the bottom
- Range
- Kanto region, Japan
- Conservation status in Japan
- Critically Endangered (CR)Ministry of the Environment of Japan, Red List 2020
Where the Tokyo bitterling has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 井の頭自然文化園 — ミヤコタナゴChecked: 2026-11-03
- Ministry of the Environment of Japan, Red List 2020Checked: 2026-11-07
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
The conservation status in Japan is the category in the Red Lists of the Ministry of the Environment of Japan, which assess the risk of extinction for wild animals in Japan.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Tokyo bitterling, look for this
- You may see it eating small bottom-dwelling creatures or algae.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
井の頭自然文化園EXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Tokyo bitterling
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Kanto
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
RELATIVES
Others in Cyprinidae
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